Traitor for a Traitor
by floppyearsthebunny
Summary: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." A different twist on how the battle in end of the fellowship might have ended. Brotherly love,no slash. Character death.No flames. Constructive criticism welcomed.One shot.


As Borormir's horn sounded through the forest; Aragorn, Legolas, Peter, and Gimli paused for a moment the sound of the horn reaching them.

"The Horn of Gondor! Boromir is in trouble!" Legolas exclaimed as they desperately slashed their way towards Boromir. Aragorn and Peter felling Uruk-hai in their path, while Legolas and Gimli fighting a rear guard action.

"Pippin! Merry! Run!" Edmund shouted to his friends, as he and Boromir try to protect Merry and Pippin. Cutting through the hordes of Uruk-hai charging toward them, Edmund looked up. Farther up the hill, an Uruk-hai captain, Lurtz, is poised to shoot Boromir. There is no time to warn him, only to act. As Lurtz pulls the arrow back, Edmund runs, franticly slashing through Uruk-hai in desperate race against time.

An arrow is loosed and as Boromir faught, he looked up to see a bow pointed at him. Before he can blink, the younger dark-haired boy is there throwing himself in front of Boromir. The arrow hits Edmund's chest with a thud, and as he falls to the ground, another pierces his side.

Angered, Merry and Pippin run toward the Uruk-hai in an attempt to defend their friends. As the hobbits reach their enemies, they are swept off their feet. And then suddenly Susan's scream pierces the air as she is also taken.

As Boromir fought in an attempt to defend the injuired boy before him, he saw the chief Uruk-hai commander leveling his crossbow once more at him. Disregarding his own safety, Boromir charged forward locking into a mortal battle and killing the captain.

Finally, Legolas, Gimli and I reached the clearing where the sound of the horn had come from. I urgently looked around for any sign of my brother, Aragorn, or the hobbits. A flash of color caught my eye. My breath caught in my throat at the sight before me.

Aragorn and Boromir were kneeling beside my brother. Edmund lay slumped on the ground, ugly black arrows sticking out of his chest and side. A look of pain was etched across his face, his breathing ragged.

I sprinted towards my poor, baby brother wanting to comfort him, to take away his pain, wishing Lucy's cordial were here not in Narnia. "Everything is going to be Fine, Ed," I said as I knelt beside him.

"Peter," he said gasping. "It hurts…so…much."

"You're going to be all right Everything going to be ok," I told him as he gripped my hand firmly, gritted his teeth, prepared for Aragorn to break the other arrow. He tried not to cry out, but a small whimper escaped from my brother's lips as the ranger tried to stanch his wounds.

Sensing my need to talk to Edmund alone, Aragorn motioned to Boromir to speak privately with him.

"Peter…where…is Lucy?"

"She went with Frodo and Sam, she slipped away."

"They took…Merry and Pippin. …And Susan…they got….her…too. I heard…her…scream."

"Ed, you need to rest and save your strength." I said praying to Aslan to spare my brother.

A pace away so as not to be overheard, Aragorn spoke quietly with Boromir, "Aragorn, they took Merry and Pippin Where is Frodo?"

"I let Frodo go."

"Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the ring from him."

"The ring is beyond our reach now."

"Forgive me, I did not see. I have failed you all, especially Edmund. It's my fault he was injured."

"No, Boromir. You fought bravely and kept your honor. What happened to Edmund was Edmund's choice."

"It is over. The world of Men will fall, and all will come to darkness and my city will to ruin, Aragorn."

"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you. I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail."

"You have given me hope brother; let us together keep the white city from falling. When this is over, our paths will lead us there and the tower guard will take up the call "The Lords of Gondor have returned."

Peter's frightened shout suddenly pierced their conversation. "Aragorn!"

Rushing over to Edmund, they find his eyes are squeezed shut in pain.

"Aragorn, He's dying," Peter says, as tears stream down his face.

"I had…to…Boromir. I couldn't… let…you …get killed." Edmund said half unconscious with the pain..

"I would have honored you richly for your valor, Edmund. I have never had a better companion or friend, Boromir said sadly.

"Aye." Gimli agreed quietly.

"You must live, Ed. You mustn't leave us." Peter begged grief-stricken, as he cradled his brother in his arms. "

Thank…you all… for…being... my friends." Edmund said as he gathered all of his strength, with some help sat up. "Goodbye Peter. I love you…" he whispered in his brother's ear as he hugged Peter, then suddenly Edmund's eyes closed and his arms when limp.

They gently laid Edmund down into the boat. Boromir placed Edmund's sword in the boy's hands and closed his fingers around the hilt. "Were that I could have given you a burial among the houses of my forefathers in splendor . . ."

Weeping, Peter gently pushed the boat forward and let the current take his brother away in its embrace.

"It has all been in vain...the fellowship has failed." Gimli spoke discouragedly.

"Not if we hold true to each other. We must not abandon Merry, Pippin and Susan, to torment and death, not while we have strength left," replied Aragorn, his eyes steely with determination.


End file.
